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Apparently Romney has announced he will release his 2010 tax return and 2011 tax estimates on Tuesday instead of waiting until April. Am I correct that this means he does not plan to release any tax returns prior to 2010?

I don’t know that anybody expected the seismic last-minute shift in SC. From what I’m reading, in exit polls the SC voters predominantly indicated they made up their minds at the last minute. So who knew?

I guess my lazy butt will have to do a little actual research. For some reason I was thinking it has been customary to release 5 years of tax returns. Actually, I’m also curious about whether it has been customary for presidential candidates to release their academic records. Maybe I’m getting this confused in my now elderly brain, but it seems to me there was some argument about GWB releasing his.

Kevin, if you are responding about academic records, there is current discussion about it re Obama. It was in that context I was wondering aloud whether it is the convention. Did not recall about Kerry and Gore, so was not particularly trying to single out GWB. It’s just that he was a Pres besides Obama for whom this came to my mind. Agree completely in that I too don’t think voters much care about this except for the purpose you mention.

Agree completely john/banned. In addition some indys may be put off if the Dems appear to be kicking the R’s when they’re down.

But ultimately it’s all show business now anyway isn’t it? If the economy keeps improving, and even Larry Kudlow had three guys on last week who think it’s going to do just that…the race is over…barring of course some huge natural or manmade disaster.

john/banned I was reading this morning that Obama is perhaps considering Jamie Dimon. I remember about ?? years ago when I made an investment simply based on the fact that he was named CEO… I think it was AMEX back then as he worked his way to the top of the food chain.

Jamie Dimon is the quintessential 1%er but for some reason I’m not as put off by him as Timmy boy. Perhaps because Dimon is right more often than Timmy, perhaps it’s because the HBO movied…Too Big To Fail portrayed him in the most sympathetic light of all the bankers at the big table.

And since I’m simply speculating and you have a far more educated opinion a two parter for you….1.) Have you heard any rumblings of Dimon going to the W.H.? 2.) Do you think that would be a smart pick for Obama?

john/banned, I’ve been reading some comments at PL this morning. You are cracking me up!

So you think Obama should not make any proposals and should call a campaign/speech moratorium while the Rs sort out who their nominee will be? Not sure I agree with that. I think he needs to keep hammering on populist proposals (if he has any). Although I do see that it could be in his best interests to stay out of any direct commentary on the R campaigns. Obama has surrogates for that; are you suggesting they too should refrain?

I wonder if the events of the last year literally killed JoePa. Or at least sped his exit. I grew up a Cornhuskers fan in the era of Joe Pa and Dr. Tom (Osborne). Hated it when Penn State killed Nebraska’s chances at a national title. I’m delighted that NU-PSU will be a regular feature. Paterno made a tragic mistake in not pushing on this. His legacy may be tarnished, but not diminished.

Scott – I’m curious as to what you thought of the science post. If there’s something missing, let me know. A follow-up is coming: data manipulation and scientific fraud. As per my personal policy, there is no requirement to respond (and we can email each other if need be).

For two years I have been telling anyone who will listen that the cost of health care and who pays for it in this country is just the tip of the iceberg. Articles like this one demonstrate why.

More and more people want to remain in their homes as they age. That means the lives of everyone else in the household are irrevocably altered.

I disagree that the first step is getting a proper diagnosis. As the article implies, a proper diagnosis can take time and many of the drugs currently available don’t do much good anyway. In the meanwhile, care has to be provided and those who provide it have to adjust to new realities.

If space permitted, I could write a small book about what I’ve learned in the last two years about caring for someone with dementia. And I’m hardly unique.

The one thing I will share here is that this country is no where near ready — financially, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, individually or collectively — for the aging of the Baby Boomers.

I appreciate you sharing your experience. I know it must be tough and I wish there was something I could say. But of course words are so meaningless in your situation.

I go to the Nursing Home every Friday night with my wife to see my 95 year old mother in law. Getting off the elevator on the third floor is the worst. My mother in law still has a minimal quality of life, she is not senile, she can no longer walk or get in and out of her bed. My wife of course is thankful that she hasn’t had to bear your cross…her mother still has her mind. When we get off the elevator at the third floor we have to walk down a couple of hallways to get to her room. Her room is located where patients are similar to her..it’s no picnic…but it’s nothing like we see when we first get off the elevator. People strapped to their wheelchairs…parked in the hallway..obviously out of their minds. Some frighten me because while they are not “rational” they seem to be suffering a non stop nightmare..their faces contorted in fear and pain. I could literally cry as I type this.

All of this, the nursing home, your suffering and challenges, shake my spirituality. Again I’m not a Christian but closer to a Buddhist. But I just don’t understand why God..The Universe…whatever allows this to happen.

I hear you loud and clear when you say…

“The one thing I will share here is that this country is no where near ready — financially, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, individually or collectively — for the aging of the Baby Boomers”

I know there has been much made of the financial part of what you are saying and indeed it is a challenge. But we waste so much money in this country on wars and not returning to a “normal” (by historic standards) tax system. I’m far more sanguine about figuring out how to pay for it. It’s the rest of what you describe..physical, emotionally, mentally, spiriturally and individually or collectively….you are the one on this blog who is most qualified to comment on this. I can only say I agree 100% just from my observations at the nursing home, and the stories my wifes patients tell her about their “caregiving” responsibilities.

The only way I, an INCREDIBLY blessed individual, with an athletic body, I won’t mention my mind for fear of attracting some insults…but I just don’t know how to say it MsJS. I think you are a SAINT!! I literally do not understand how you do it.

And so I try some coping mechanisms…one is that there are saints like you and some of the people working in nursing homes. My other coping mechanism is to try and always be enormously grateful for my good fortune. When I’m in a spinning class and it hurts to push on…I chastise myself…I know you’d give nothing more than to be able to get out of your chair and peddle a bike. I feel responsible to get as much from the experience as I can because I feel like I’m getting your share of the deal. It’s so unfair and I literally feel so helpless. I wish I could do more to help MsJS. Just realize that we all know what an incredibly special lady you are…not only bright, articulate, and wonderfully objective in your posts…but also a saint!

msjs, that was an interesting read. I haven’t been in your position on this so don’t know that I can truly appreciate it. The last six months of her life, my sister had increasingly severe cognitive issues (like not being able to remember how to get dressed), but I don’t think that’s the same as what you are talking about. FWIW, one of the faculty members I work with focuses her research on dementia and alzheimer’s. I always love editing her submissions because I learn so much from them. The feds recently announced priority for funding alzheimer’s research; we’ll see if that actually happens and has worthwhile results.

lms, don’t want to be a bubble-popper, but I was intrigued and visited our visitor’s blog. He obviously makes it a point to leave a footprint on other blogs in order to generate such traffic to his. Not saying that’s bad, and I did enjoy his blog. I’m glad he checked us out.

Believe it or not, one can carve out a life. It may bear little resemblance to one’s prior life, but it can be fulfilling nonetheless. Takes work though.

Our biggest/funniest drama of the last 24 hours….MrJS woke me just after midnight and said our caregiver was having trouble breathing and I needed to call 911. Since I’m not ambulatory and couldn’t check in on her myself, I called for the EMT squad and then asked MrJS what was wrong. I got a story about him checking on her, she didn’t answer when he called, she was barely breathing, etc.

So the EMTs arrive and we discover MrJS fantasized the entire story and the caregiver was simply snoring. He didn’t remember a thing this morning.

The happiest ending to an Alzheimer’s story I can remember. Back in the 80’s I was in TV in Bristol Tn/Va. I would work out and play basketball at the Bristol YMCA. I met the nicest gentleman there who was in his late 50’s and had been a Cross Country Track star at V.M.I. in his youth. He ran every day..it was his passion. i really enjoyed this man and was saddened to find out he had early onset Alzheimers.

He still spoke to me most days in the locker room as we changed for our workouts. But he grew increasingly more disoriented and confused. One day he walked out of the locker room into the swimming pool area completely nude. They were having a swimming class at the time and so there was some embarrassment. His family had to secure a caregiver to begin watching him. This was tough on the caregiver because while the man’s brain was fading his body was in excellent shape from his daily runs.
The caregiver had to try and keep up in a car.

One day when the man had pretty much lost his mind, but not his love or running, he escaped his caregiver and ran, and ran, and ran until he literally dropped dead. I couldn’t have been happier for him. I know it is the way he would have wished to check out…doing the thing in life that he loved the most!

As MsJs said, one can carve out a life. My dad died of Lou Gherig’s disease 20 years ago this year. He went to work until he couldn’t drive. Then he worked from home. He used a computer at home to contiue his work, eventually with splints on each of his fingers to help him type. When that was no longer an option, he typed with his foot, hitting a pedal everytime the right letter was highlighted by some now incredibly outdated piece of software. When that was no longer an option, he did this same with his chin. He followed the America’s Cup boat races and the Tour de France. I think the complex strategy of those two events appealed to him. I’ll never know how he dealt with the betrayal of his body (or how you handle it MsJs) but he smiled and laughed enough for me to know he carved out a life.
My mom was his nurse, she got him up out of bed and his chair. He was immoblie for most of the last year of his life and never once had a bed sore. My mom is also a saint. We kids pitched in however we could. Looking back it seems crazy that I slept downstairs at the age of 11 so that my dad could call me in the middle of the night to help him urinate or move his arm, but that was normal. And I was happy. We carved out a great life.

You must be incredibly proud of your father! What a terrific story! I watched something similar to your father’s experience in a man named Bob Waters who was the football coach at Western Carolina. Like your father he never gave up. His final season his assistants had to wheel him to the sideline on a board and then stand it up and he communicated through a special device like your father.

I appreciate your stories ashot and MsJS. It is Sunday and since 75% of us self ID as Christians it’s the day of rest and worship. IMHO it is a day to give thanks for ALL of our blessings including folks like MsJS and ashots Father and mother. Inspirations to all of us.

Thank you so much for sharing this. Out of all of the awards that I was given while it the military, the one I am most proud of is one that isn’t official–I got it while I was an ROTC cadet.

The man who was most responsible for recruiting me into the military and into ROTC was diagnosed with ALS when I was a junior in college, and he medically retired from the military. He spent his last months (it progressed VERY fast in his case) doing recruiting for the military–it was his passion. When I graduated I was presented with an award in his name and–what I will carry to the grave with me–his “captain’s boards” (the epaulets he wore on his shoulders). When I was promoted to captain they were the only ones I wore. He gave me two sets and I passed the second set on to the lieutenant that I brought into the military and who is a full-bird colonel today. He passed them on to the first lieutenant that he brought in. . . the first set is going into eternity with me.

Thanks, Michi. That’s a great story. My dad was sick for about 4 year before he passed away, but he was very young in comparison to the patient population that usually gets ALS. It’s such an awful disease and it impacts everyone in different ways.

Brian, the Congress that passed, and the POTUS that signed, NDAA which is defended as simply putting an imprimatur of lawfulness of the authority the POTUS has assumed under the Patriot Act, are unlikely to give us relief from the PA in 2012.